Hermès Scarf Review: A Vos Crayons by Leigh Cooke

Part of the fun of collecting Hermès scarves is the hunt: finding a coveted piece at a flea market in Paris or coming across an amazing deal at the most unlikely place.

The story of how I acquired the Hermès scarf, A Vos Crayons by Leigh Cooke, is one of those stories. I found it at the Neiman Marcus Bargain Box in Longview, Texas which is one of the most amazing hidden gems for anyone looking for a luxe for less find.

Exhale Core Fusion Barre Basic Class Review: It Never Gets Easier

Image via exhale spa

After an indulgent trip to Paris where, as usual, I lost weight living on cheese, chocolate and wine (granted I did walk about eight miles a day and eat small portions) it was time to return to the gym. I had done some light weightlifting on my own but nothing too regimented. This past Saturday I took one of exhale's Core Fusion Barre Basic classes, my 56th of the year but first in a few weeks. I felt like I was taking it for the very first time.

Core Fusion Barre Basic may sound like an easier version of an Open class. That couldn't be further from the truth. The movements are targeted, tiny and effective. Each time I take one of these classes, it is challenging. I was sore the next day, in a good way. In fact after Saturday's class, I am still sore on Monday.

Core Fusion Barre Basic Movements
In Core Fusion Barre Basic, you will do movements for both the upper and lower body with an emphasis on glutes and thighs. You will use a combination of light weights as well as your own body weight.

After a three to five minute warmup, you will spend about seven to 10 minutes doing a variety of weighted movements for your arms, shoulders and back with a quick set of pushups thrown in. The movements are rapid and deliver a good burn, despite the light weight.

Lower body movements for Core Fusion Basic

You will focus on your lower body for the next 30 minutes. You will spend roughly 15 minutes on your thighs and 15 minutes on your bootie. You will do plié squats, leg lefts and circles on a ballet bar and, sometimes, on a floor mat. The movements are tough and ALWAYS make my legs shake.

For the last 15 minutes, you will focus on your abs after a quick set of bar pullups. The ab work combines rollups, planks, leg lifts and extensions. For me, the ab work rarely burns in class but I usually feel it the next day.

You always finish with a good stretch, something I love. I could spend an extra 15 minutes stretching at the end of class. I feel like that's something I always need.

There is not a heart-pumping cardiovascular component to this 60-minute class like there is in exhale's Core Fusion Cardio Barre class (read my review HERE). Taking that into account, I rarely feel like I need to do cardio on days when I do a Core Fusion Barre Basic class. I consider it "enough" of a workout.

The Gear
You can wear pretty much anything to Core Fusion classes. I recommend yoga pants/leggings simply because shorts tend you leave you a little, um, exposed. Grip socks are mandatory to keep you from slipping on the wooden floor.

The Takeaway
exhale's Core Fusion classes are never routine. The class size is small enough that the instructor can deliver individual attention to you. Sometimes you love it because it helps you perform a movement properly. Most times, candidly, I hate it because it makes the movement infinitely more difficult. That's what you want, though, because these classes deliver results. The movements target those tiny muscles which truly give your body a lift in the areas that need it.

Core Fusion classes are always a challenge, no matter how experienced you are with this type of exercise. That's a good thing.

Shop Fitness Gear

What You Need To Know If You're Heading To The George Strait Concert At AT&T Stadium

If you're going to the George Strait concert at AT&T Stadium on June 7th, the Cowboys' purse and bag policy WILL apply.

Tory Burch's Mini Fleming Leather Shoulder Bag Is Allowed

"Everything at the stadium falls under our purse policy," according to AT&T Stadium spokesperson Bret Daniels.

That means every game whether it be NFL, NCAA or high school, every concert, every soccer match, EVERYTHING. Your opaque bag must be no larger than 5.5" x 8.5" to be allowed into the stadium.

Here is some handbag inspiration to help you figure out what works.

From L to R: Valentino Rockstud Mini Crossbody (I LOVE this calf hair version) | Small Prada Crossbody | Ferragamo Ginny Crossbody | YSL Cassandre Crossbody | Tory Burch Mini Fleming Shoulder Bag (comes in many colors) | Tory Burch Mini Harper Crossbody (also cute in black) | Ferragamo Paris Crossbody | Danielle Nicole Libby Convertible Crossbody

If you attend a lot of events where purse and bag policies are in play, I would suggest getting one bag that works. I have a Chanel Wallet on a Chain I use for each game, along with a clear, quart-size Ziplock I use as Jordan's diaper bag.

I am always updating my Gameday Fashion and Cowboys Fashion boards on Pinterest.  Follow them for a constant stream of bags that will work for both the NFL & PGA Tour's purse policy.

AT&T Stadium Purse Policy TIP:
To determine if your purse will be allowed into AT&T Stadium, simply fold an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper in half.  If your bag is smaller than that, it's good to go.

Here are some weekend sales you need to know about:

• Stanley Korshak: Save up to 40% in every department.
• Ralph Lauren: Shop their designer sale event and save up to 40%.
• Ann Taylor: Get 30% off full-price styles and an extra 40% off sale styles through June 9th. 
• Narciso Rodriguez: Save 40% off their 2014 Spring/Summer collection. 
• Net-a-Porter:  Browse their killer-cool selection of designer sale items featuring Gucci, Givenchy, Burberry and more. 
• The Outnet: Score an extra 30% off sale items from designers like Helmut Lang, Pucci, Oscar de la Renta and others. 

Scroll Through To Shop This Story

Why I'm a Working Mom Who Is NOT Guilty

Having gone through a wonderful professional transformation recently, I have had too many conversations to recount as to what my career change means for the time I spend with my daughter.

In short, now that I am working for myself, I have more control over my time.  My days and nights are not ruled by breaking news and sports schedules.  Unlike before, I am able to enjoy nights, holidays and weekends with her but I am busier than ever and loving it.

When I mention that to friends and colleagues they are shocked.

Thanksgiving 2013

"Didn't you want to spend more time with your daughter?" they ask.

"Sure, but I'm still working," I respond.

"Why?"

That simple question leads to lengthy discussions of career goals, working motherhood and choices.

Simply put, I enjoy working and love my "job".  Granted, having been a fulltime sportscaster for almost 20 years, I have had more fun on the job in one day than most people have throughout their careers.  Now that I am consulting for great clients like D&M Leasing and the Dallas Cowboys, the work is just as rewarding.

I am happiest when I am productive.  As a mother, I value the fact that I provide for my family and am setting an example for her.  The income I am able to contribute to our family enables us to travel and have experiences we wouldn't otherwise be able to enjoy.

I believe if more working mothers adopted this philosophy there would be less "guilt dialog".

Paris 2013

I am asked about feeling guilty.  Candidly, I haven't had an ounce.

Okay.  Check that.  It sucked when I had to miss her first birthday celebration in 2012 because a colleague called in sick and I had to work late on a Wednesday to do the 10pm news.  Sure, I missed the celebration that night but that weekend, we had an even better celebration that lasted two days.

Beyond that, there has been no guilt.  None.  In fact, I feel guilty when I am not working.  I want my daughter to realize that anyone, man or woman, can accomplish his or her goals through perseverance, hard work and dedication.  I want her to realize that she can achieve what she wants by working for it.  Trust me, I'm a testament to it.  Can you imagine the shock in 1992 when I told my parents I wanted to study to be a sportscaster?  Blank stares.

That's not to say working for an employer or running a business is right for every parent.  I have many friends who are fulfilled being at home fulltime, running their households and taking care of their families.  It works for them and that's fabulous.

The concept, though, of every working parent, particularly mothers, sitting at the office and saddled with guilt is false. There are plenty of us who are content balancing the challenges and rewards of working, being a parent AND taking time for ourselves.

We are out there.

And loving every minute of it.

Ritz Carlton Herzliya Review

From stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and best-in-class service to cuisine that will change the way you think about Israeli food, the Ritz Carlton Herzliya sets the bar for world class hospitality in Israel.

Just the Med, yo. NBD.

Every visit I've made to Israel has involved multiple cities in multiple hotels. My third and most recent trip in November 2017 was no different. I spent two days in Herzliya followed by four days in Haifa. Knowing that my time in Haifa was going to be "work", in the form of moving my elderly father into an assisted living facility, I wanted to enjoy a few days of my trip to the Middle East.

RELATED: Brown Beach House Tel Aviv: An Urban Oasis in the Heart of Tel Aviv

I had read about the Ritz Carlton's foray into Israel when it opened in 2013. As a Ritz Carlton loyalist, I wanted to experience this property and finally be wowed by a hotel experience in Israel. I've stayed at the Kind David in Jerusalem, the Sheraton and Intercontinental in Tel Aviv and the Scots in Tiberias. King David aside, none of them impressed me. I felt that a level of service and luxury was missing in Israel and hoped the Ritz Carlton would change that.

5 Delicious Low-Cal or No-Cal Alternatives To Soda

I spent 15 minutes on the phone last week with my BFF talking her off the Diet Coke ledge. She is trying to cut back on soda in 2016 and says going off of it is about to kill her. She is having caffeine withdrawals, she misses that wonderful Diet Coke fizz and gets bored with water.

I feel her pain. I was a soda addict in the 90's and early 2000's. When I worked for the Dallas Cowboys we had free sodas all throughout Valley Ranch. I would drink two or three Diet Dr. Peppers and a Diet Mountain Dew every day. The whole 'diet' thing didn't do squat for me. I was still fat.

When I started scaling back my soda consumption and, not coincidentally, eating better the weight started dropping off.

RELATED: 8G Greens Superfood Supplement Review

I am not gonna lie. My favorite drink, to this day, is a Cherry Diet Coke from JD's Chippery in Dallas. There is something special about that cherry syrup they use. I could drink one every day but you, me and everyone in between knows that a daily soda habit isn't good for you. To that end, I limit my consumption to one delicious drink a week.

There is no disputing the fact that water is the best beverage out there. I love water but sometimes we all just get tired of it. Whether we're stuck at work and need something for that 3pm break or simply want a more interesting alternative to drink when we're running errands, water all day every day can become monotonous and, in turn, has us craving a Coke. Fortunately, there are some awesome low-calorie or no-calorie beverages you can drink in place of water and soda without damaging your waistline.

How To Sweatproof Your Makeup For Summer Baseball Games

Doing a Rangers pre-game show with Mark McLemore & Blue Man Group

With the weather warming up, if you're heading to a game at Globe Life Park or any baseball stadium sometime soon, there's a good chance you'll leave drenched. And I'm not talking Emily Jones drenched. I mean drenched in sweat from the heat.

If you're a fellow sports girl, that doesn't mean your makeup has to melt and fade as the temperatures approach triple digits.

I have spent 12-hour days in August heat in Arlington and had to go on TV at the END of the work day. Despite sweating my ass off, my makeup was still somewhat fresh. Yours can be, too, by incorporating a few simple tricks. 

Click HERE for Rangers dugout reporter Emily Jones makeup tips. 

Prime Your Face

You should be wearing primer on most occasions. It's an outstanding way to help your makeup last. I don't go full-face-makeup without three primers I refer to as my secret weapons:

• L'Oreal Paris Miracle Blur - an award-winning face primer with SPF 30 that truly works and helps your makeup last.
• MAC Prep + Prime Lip - a lip primer that goes on clear and keeps your lipstick from feathering into the fine lines around your mouth.
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - the best primer I have found to keep eyeshadow from creasing in your lids.

Protect Your Face and Body

Wear sunscreen on your face and body. That goes without saying but there are certain sunscreens that just work better than others for your face. I like Elta MD's UV Daily with SPF 40 or L'Oreal Revitalift with SPF 30. If I'm going to wear simply a BB cream or tinted moisturizer, Hydroxatone BB Cream with SPF 40 is my personal favorite. Laura Mercier also does an outstanding one with SPF 20. 

Wear Less Makeup

This is the biggest thing. In the oppressive summer heat, less is more. Don't wear a ton of heavy products. Use a BB cream instead of foundation and perhaps a nice lip gloss instead of thick lipstick. 

MAC Fluidline

Also, don't wear eyeliner on your lower lid. It is guaranteed to run and give you raccoon face. If you need eyeliner, use a gel liner like MAC's Fluidline or Lancome's Long Wear Gel Liner. 

In fact, go a step further and forgo mascara on the lower lash line, too. I went on TV all the time without eyeliner and mascara on the lower lash line. It's fine, no one will notice. 

MAC Blot Powder

Also, don't reapply powder with a sponge. Instead use a retractable brush with a hint of translucent powder (I love MAC Blot Powder) and simply run that over your face when your feeling oily. Even better, use blotting paper. A number of TV personalities, both male and female, use these to control oil and shine. 

Get The Secret Weapons Featured In This Story

How To Eat Healthy In Restaurants

Most restaurant meals are absolute fat pills. You can eat an entire day's worth of calories in one sitting. Whether you dine out for work or leisure, there are a number of strategies that can help you survive eating in restaurants without blowing your diet.

Is your breakfast cereal making you fat? Probably. 
Try these healthier breakfast options to help you stay full longer.

More Good News on Green Tea

The good news on green tea just keeps coming.

Assam green tea/Image via Wikimedia

Drinking it on the job can help you stay sharper.  A recent study showed that green tea improves your working memory.  When you pair this news with green tea's anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory properties, it's a home run.

A small study recently done by biomedical researchers at the University of Basel found that participants performed a working memory task in which they had to watch letters flash on a screen and press a button if the letter was the same one that appeared on one or two trials prior to it.

Those who took a shot with 27.5 grams of green tea extract did better than the control group who didn't take the green tea shot.  Learn more about the study here.

I drink green tea iced or hot.  There are so many wonderful varieties of it.

Kusmi BB Detox Green Tea

I love Kusmi Teas and adore their BB Detox Green Grapefruit Tea.  I found them in Paris and order them online.

I also like Premium Stash's Ginger Peach Green Tea over ice.

Browse More Delicious Green Tea Selections Here: 

Thanksgiving Diet Tips

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday planned. We were in Paris last year for Thanksgiving (a few pics here). I have spent countless Thanksgivings covering Cowboys games (their spread is fabulous, btw). We'll be home this year spending it with the family. 

Thanksgiving tends to kick off the holiday eating season. If you're not careful, you can pack on a few pounds during the final six weeks of the year. To avoid doing that, here are a few diet strategies that can help you survive and enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner without wrecking your healthy eating plan.

RELATED: 5 Tips To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

The Price Of An Hermès Birkin: More Than A Car, Luxurious Jewelry, Designer Bags & Shoes Combined. Really.

I love luxury goods as much as the next girl but I just don't think I could do this. Moda Operandi is offering Hermès goodies from Dallas' Heritage Auctions. There are a three iconic Hermès Birkins costing $75,000.

How to Lose Weight Eating Chocolate

Dark chocolate is key!

Chocolate is wholeheartedly part of a healthful diet.  

Let's pause for a moment and do the happy, chocolate dance!

Okay, moving on.

According to a recent study in the journal Nutrition, individuals who ate about an ounce and a half of chocolate per day had a lower BMI, less body fat and had a trimmer waist than those who ate less. (Tweet this)

RELATED: The Best Diets of 2016

Study author Magdalena Cuenca Garcia says that the catechins in chocolate are believed to help regulate hormones related to obesity.  Catechin levels rise proportionately with cocoa content, meaning the darker the chocolate, the better. Milk chocolate contains added sugar, it's not good for you. That's candy and it's crap. Dark is the way to go.

Note that it is a small portion of chocolate, about an ounce and a half or a single square. A decadent, complex dark chocolate square is a substantial treat when savored.

The Chocolate Diet
I dropped about five pounds to prepare for a photo shoot while enjoying a square of dark chocolate every, single day. This "diet" included the Easter holiday on which I ate substantially more than a square...more like an acre. While I was in Paris, I joked that I ate the cheese, chocolate and wine diet. You know what? I lost weight. Four pounds to be exact.

Sample meal plan that helped me drop five pounds in seven days:

• Breakfast: two scrambled eggs with small sprinkling of cheese and four or five strawberries.
• Lunch: broth-based soup or a salad.  Sometimes I was on the run and simply had a Pure Protein bar with a tangerine. 
• Snack: handful of raw almonds with five apricots or an apple and peanut butter.
• Dinner: canned salmon with dijon mustard (I love this) with half an avocado and a cup f steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
• Dessert: one square (maybe 2) of dark chocolate. 

I worked out, generally, 30-60 minutes every day with a mix of aerobic exercise and weightlifting.

I never felt deprived or hungry.  In fact, I felt great because I wasn't overindulging or eating too much.  It was nice.

UPDATE, 2/2016: while my weight fluctuates 3-4 pounds every month, I have maintained that weight loss. Meaning, I am fitting into my skinny clothes. Yes, I still eat a dark square of chocolate (or two) almost every day.

Delicious Chocolate Treats To Try

World Market Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar

I recently fell in love with World Market's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bar.  At 64% cocoa, it's the perfect blend of sweet and salty that satisfies a craving. I also dig any combination of orange and dark chocolate like Lindt's Excellence Intense Orange Chocolate. Have you tried dark chocolate dipped orange peels? They're ridiculously good.

Dark chocolate-covered strawberries? That's a healthy indulgence home run! The strawberries deliver some filling fiber while the chocolate satisfies your sweet tooth. They also take a while to eat which means you will eat more slowly.

What dark chocolate treats do you love? Please share your favorites in the comments section.

RELATED: Learn The Secret To Losing Weight & Building Muscle At The Same Time

Get The Real Skinny

Click HERE for your free copy.

Looking for more practical diet and fitness news? Sign up for my newsletter, The Real Skinny. It features simple healthy living tips for the real world, like this one. When you sign up, you'll get a copy of my ebook, The 10 Easiest Diet Tips: Simple Secrets To Help You Lose Weight & Maintain Your Weight Loss For Good.

Buy Dark Chocolates Here: 

Real World Tips to Avoid Getting Fat Eating in Restaurants

Do you live on restaurant meals?  Starbucks in the morning, followed by Cafe Express for lunch and Mi Cocina at dinner?  That sounds like a normal Dallas day for many.

If you're eating all the food restaurants put on your plate, you can easily pile on the pounds.  Yahoo Shine has an informative blog post offering "10 Ways to Lose Weight at Restaurants."  I have lived my professional life on the road, eating at restaurants and lost more than 50 pounds in the process.  It's possible.

Some of the tips are good common sense, like these:
4 "Sauce on the side please!" - this is a no brainer.  Also ask for every salad dressing on the side. I would go a step further: when it comes to salads, ask for plain balsamic vinegar.  It's delicious and helps you avoid getting fat eating salads.

5 "All-you-can-eat buffets are not the answer" - True words!  I'm sorry, you might think you're saving money but if you overindulge in these enough, it will cost you in the long run.  You will pay for new clothes because you're gaining weight. You might also be visiting the doctor more frequently because of all the fried crap and sugar-loaded bombs you are consuming.  

I lived on the Golden Corral buffet when I was broke and worked in Knoxville in the 90's.  I was fat, sick and miserable. AVOID THESE.

One of the tips from the Yahoo article is important for us parents:

"8. I was a pediatric dietitian in a former life, so I feel compelled to warn parents against seemingly "kid-friendly" items. You likely already know this: Kids' meals can be loaded with calories, fat, and fillers that neither young nor old need to consume. Seemingly pint-sized meals weigh in at over 1000 calories-more calories than your little one might need in an entire day! Instead of ordering from the kids' menu, try ordering a healthy choice off the adult menu, and either request a smaller portion, split the meal, or simply take leftovers home."

Good advice.  Those chicken fingers and mini-pizzas are not your kid's friend.

Dinner at Maxim's in Paris - no chicken fingers allowed!

I would add the following:

• Don't eat the whole meal.  Restaurant portions are huge.  Put half of your entree in a box.  You won't miss the other half and you will have an additional meal for later in the week. 
• If it's just a regular restaurant night out and not the meal of a lifetime, leave two bites on your plate.  Two, small bites will save you some calories. 
• Getting quesadillas or something else cheesy?  Ask the server to go light on the cheese.  Again, you won't miss the extra grease. 
• Share your desserts!  Always.  You don't need the whole thing. 

Like this?  You might also like these: 

• How I stayed slim eating indulgent meals in Parisian restaurants. 
• How to enjoy Tex-Mex without getting fat. 
• How one woman lost weight following the Starbucks diet.

Monday Motivation: Ditch the Junk Food & Adopt the Paris Diet

I hope you had a great weekend.  I hope you have an even greater week.

If you haven't heard, I'm trying to stick to an editorial calendar.  By going public with it, I'm hoping it has that "hold me accountable" effect.

From junk food truly jacking with your system to Parisian diet recipes (yes, please), here are some things I hope will help get you through the week:

Exercise Helps You Live Longer

There is no reason not to exercise.  Really.  Now there is solid proof it helps you live longer.  You CAN find the time to exercise for 30 minutes a day, even if it's just walking, dancing or hula hooping.  Do it.  Stop making excuses.

Junk Sucks
So junk food makes you lazy.  I could have told you that!  When I was 200 pounds and lived on M&M's & Diet Mountain Dew, I was always tired.  Now, here's science to support that.

Light French Recipes

Light French Recipes: A Parisian Diet Cookbook

Okay, I am ALL in on this....a LIGHT French recipe book: Light French Recipes: A Parisian Diet Cookbook. (Available May 13th.  Pre-order it here.)  Yes!

One can argue that those who love the Mediterranean side of France don't need this.  True.  For those of you who love northern French fare and are looking to lighten it, this is a Godsend.  To learn more about dieting with Parisian chic, check out Dr. Jean-Michel Cohen's other book, The Parisian Diet.  This book isn't about deprivation.  It's about delighting in food that's so beautifully prepared and of such high quality that you won't crave crap (like M&M's & Diet Mountain Dew).  Details on this and my other favorite French books below.

The Takeaway

Whatever you're planning right now, stop talking about it.  Start doing it.  Or at least start putting the ball in motion to begin your next big endeavor.  You'll feel better about being productive.  Promise.

Have a great week!

Buy The Parisian Diet & My Fave French Books Here: